The Roots & Sacred Texts of Yoga (Vedas) Flashcards
The Vedas
Passed on orally “smirti”
Vedas:
Rig
Sama
Yajur
Atharva Veda
Rig is the oldest of the 4, created in 1500BC and codified in ~600BC
Oldest Hindu scripture
Latter works: Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata Puranas
Vedas influenced: Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism.
The Mahabharata
One of 2 epic poems:
1st- Mahabharata translates to “Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty
2nd- The Ramayana
Known as Indias longest poem
Very significant to Hindu faith
Created between 8th & 9th Century BC, although some parts date back to 400BC
Based on a real war that took place between 2 tribes: Kuru & Panchala.
The heroic narrative is between 2 groups of cousins
Old man features many times “Vyasa”
Divided into 18 books with 1.8 million words.
4 Purusartha were first mentioned here.
Upanishads
Upa- near- indicates the receptive attitude required of a student to learn the great truth imparted by the master.
Ni- below- Student must sit below the guru, disciple requires feeling of devotion to gain self knowledge
Sad- sit- introverted nature of student allows for student to apprehend self
The Vedas are divided into:
The Samhitas- metric texts or mantra
The Brahmanas- technical fashion, sacrificial rituals
The Aranyakas- Wilderness texts, forest treaties
The Upanishads- Ultimate reality, Atman
Why do we chant an invocation?
To acknowledge the ancient teachings
To give thanks to the teachers that pass the knowledge down
To acknowledge the Divine that resides in each of us
